Richard Branson knows how to lead

Sir Richard Branson, needs absolutely no introduction. Philanthropic billionaire, and entrepreneurial genius, he makes more in a week than most people would make in a lifetime. In addition to earning that much through his entrepreneurial ventures, he has also given more than most people will earn in a lifetime to charity. In other words, he is #winning.

How he leads…

You don’t get to such a respected status without having a key understanding in leadership techniques. These are the principles that Branson has built his empire with.

1. Fly High but always know you may crash.

From a guy who dropped out of school to start a magazine, this sounds a little weird. Branson says his father taught him this lesson as his first business was struggling to take flight. When he started playing in the big leagues this paid off. Richard got Boeing to back his first plane in case Virgin Air wasn’t performing as well as they projected. Shooting for the best and planning for the worst is always a good way to make sure you have all of your bases covered in your business.

2. Give Back.

Richard has signed the Giving Pledge created by Warren Buffet and Bill Gates that promises he will give half of his fortune to charity. He says employees can really bond at charity events. Virgin has large groups of employees that run in both the New York and London marathons to raise money for charities.

3. Believe in what you’ve built.

“A passionate belief in your business and personal objectives can make all the difference between success and failure. If you aren’t proud of what you’re doing, why should anybody else be?” Branson writes.

4. Have fun.

He says this is very underrated but crucial to success in any business venture. He reiterates that if you’re not having fun you should close up shop and try something else. Branson suggests company parties and other recreational activities to help breakdown the icy social barriers in the office.

5. Don’t Give Up.

It is not always going to be fun and games. As long as you can see fun ahead, it is always worth pushing through the hard times says Branson.